Cider kit recommendation, please

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guypettigrew
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Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Sun May 30, 2021 3:31 pm

The idea of making a cider has, for whatever reason, become appealing.

As I don't have any apples or a press it means I'm looking for a kit. Why are these called kits? Like beer kits there's nothing kit like about them. Open the cans, dilute them and ferment the stuff.

Can I use one of the King Kegs as I do for my beer? Or will it taint it?

Recommendations gratefully received. This has caught my eye. Looks to be dry.

Thanks.

Guy

WalesAles
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by WalesAles » Sun May 30, 2021 4:47 pm

Guy,
Try making your own `Turbo Cider` before buying a kit for £26.48.
Read Oldblokes post on top of the cider making page.
I`ve made 2474Lts of TC and the choice of flavours is up to you! :D
1st prize in a Beer Festival for my Kiwi and Lime TC.
Look back at the posts in this thread, there are loads of good recipes to be found.
Ready to drink after 11 days. ( Yes, I couldn`t wait and it was BLM)! :D

WA

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Sun May 30, 2021 5:20 pm

Howdy WA. Somehow I knew you'd be the first to respond!

Not at all sure about using supermarket apple juice to make cider. A mate of mine in Somerset makes his cider (hundreds of gallons of it) from local apples. Cider apples. Inedible as dessert apples, perfect for cider. Nice and tart (Tannin?) and ferment out completely to give a dry cider. BLM, as you would say! He then sweetens it to various degrees to sell.

Supermarket apple juice is, I'm guessing, made from palatable sweet apples.

The kits, hopefully, are from cider apples. And won't need me to experiment with adding tea bags or anything else to get the tannin.

As to flavours; I've no desire to make anything other than apple cider. Fancy flavours may come later!

Guy

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Sun May 30, 2021 8:57 pm

What about this kit? Has anyone tried it?

Guy

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MashBag
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by MashBag » Mon May 31, 2021 6:56 am

Recommendations gratefully received. This has caught my eye. Looks to be dry.
Made my eyes water! £26 blimey

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MashBag
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by MashBag » Mon May 31, 2021 7:12 am

Just read the turbo cider post f a n t a s t I c.

Cider and wine(!) from supermarket juice is popular on many forums, but this is a very good write up.

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=66468

I have tested some brilliant beverages made this way.

Try it. It will surprise you!
Last edited by MashBag on Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Mon May 31, 2021 11:25 am

MashBag wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 6:56 am
Recommendations gratefully received. This has caught my eye. Looks to be dry.
Made my eyes water! £26 blimey
Sorry to make your eyes water, MB!

I've just done the week's Tesco shop. The cheapest apple juice is 69p for 1 litre. Which is £15.87 for 23 litres

Next up is Tesco apple juice. £2 for 1.75 litres. Which is £26 for 22.75 litres.

Both plus yeast, plus tannin, for an uncertain result.

The Wobblygob at £21.99 seems a very reasonable proposition!

Guy

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Mon May 31, 2021 2:55 pm

Just ordered a Wobblygob cider. At about 68p/pint it seems like a good price. My AG beers cost about 50p/pint when the electricity is included.

Guy

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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by Linus » Mon May 31, 2021 5:28 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 2:55 pm
Just ordered a Wobblygob cider. At about 68p/pint it seems like a good price. My AG beers cost about 50p/pint when the electricity is included.

Guy
https://www.hamsteadhomebrew.co.uk/Cid ... al-Ciders/

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Mon May 31, 2021 6:34 pm

Linus wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 5:28 pm
guypettigrew wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 2:55 pm
Just ordered a Wobblygob cider. At about 68p/pint it seems like a good price. My AG beers cost about 50p/pint when the electricity is included.

Guy
https://www.hamsteadhomebrew.co.uk/Cid ... al-Ciders/
Not sure what you're trying to say here! Unless it's about the cost.

The one you've linked to is about 55p/pint, until you factor in the delivery cost of £4.99, making it 68p/pint.

Guy

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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by Linus » Mon May 31, 2021 10:45 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 6:34 pm
Linus wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 5:28 pm
guypettigrew wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 2:55 pm
Just ordered a Wobblygob cider. At about 68p/pint it seems like a good price. My AG beers cost about 50p/pint when the electricity is included.

Guy
https://www.hamsteadhomebrew.co.uk/Cid ... al-Ciders/

Not sure what you're trying to say here! Unless it's about the cost.

The one you've linked to is about 55p/pint, until you factor in the delivery cost of £4.99, making it 68p/pint.



Guy
Yes I did notice that but I tried to delete the post but I don’t think you can.

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MashBag
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by MashBag » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:23 am

guypettigrew wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 2:55 pm
... My AG beers cost about 50p/pint when the electricity is included.

Guy
Bottled or kegged?

guypettigrew
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:04 am

King Kegged.

Actually, I'm beginning to doubt whether or not the beers cost 50p/pint. It's the figure I give to people who ask, but perhaps I should work it out again.

I worked it out as about 35p/pint years ago and just assumed the cost would have gone up.

How much do you reckon yours cost?

Guy

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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by Cobnut » Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:52 am

Depends on the beer.

Brewfather allows me to include cost of ingredients and based on this it gives me a cost per bottled litre.

My most recent couple of brews worked out at 26p (Banks's 1953 Mild Ale) and 39p (SMASH using Crisp MO and Target) per litre respectively.

The most expensive I can find in recent batches was 90p per litre.

These costs exclude electricity, but I doubt that is going to contribute more than a few pence per litre.

Nor does it include water, but that's also pretty small; perhaps a penny per bottled litre.

So my costlier beers are probably around 50p a pint and my cheaper ones less than half that.

If I were to make a NEIPA and chuck in a few hundred grams of New World hops, you might double that.

And I don't dare think about the cost of my labour. Even at minimum wage it would add hugely to the cost of the beer...but, hey! It's a hobby!

:)
Fermenting: nowt
Conditioning: English IPA/Bretted English IPA
Drinking: Sunshine Marmalade, Festbier, Helles Bock, Smokey lagery beer, Irish Export StoutCascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
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MashBag
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Re: Cider kit recommendation, please

Post by MashBag » Fri Jun 04, 2021 9:58 am

I have costed just my 'house' brew and I am at 51p inc crown caps and electricity (sort of).

26p seems a stretch - are you growing the grain yourself LOL



Edit: After a close look 51p is all lies. 29p
Last edited by MashBag on Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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